


Frozen Feather

by ginnekomiko



Category: Frozen (2013), Princess Tutu
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-02-25 07:23:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2613242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginnekomiko/pseuds/ginnekomiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The cast of Princess Tutu in the roles of the characters from frozen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Once Upon a time, in a cold and faraway land, there lived a lonely queen. It was said that her heart which had once been warm and bright, had been slowly frozen solid by a cruel twist of fate.

“Rue! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” The princess knew that voice, only how had she gotten in here? She could have sworn she locked the door.

Slowly, she turned and looked up. Yep, it was the same smiling, freckled face that greeted her every morning.

“Good morning, big sis!” the younger princess said with a smile. “You look lovely as usual after just waking up! When I woke up this morning it looked like my head became a nest for the birds. It took me this long just to fix it!”

Rue felt herself smile softly. “Good morning, Ahiru.”

Ahiru ran around the room, her arms spread out like wings. The skirt of her green dress was flying behind her as she moved. “So what are we going to do today?”

“You are going to practice your dancing,” Rue said firmly, not moving from her bed.

Ahiru stopped running and twirled her hair shyly. “Ehehe. So the staff told you about that, did they?”

Rue nodded solemnly. “They did.”

“But I was hoping to spend the day with you! We hardly get any time together anymore! There’s this place I really want to take you! You never go outside anymore!”

“I’m still sick, darling. I can’t go outside in the snow,” Rue said, trying to be gentle.

“Well, okay, but, why can’t I come inside?”

“Do you think our dear mother and father would ever forgive me if I carelessly let you catch my cold?” Rue said. “‘Rue!’ They’d scold in my dreams, ‘how could you be so negligent with your little sister when she’s all you have left?’ It’s for your own good that we limit contact.”

“Well, I don’t want Mommy and Daddy to haunt you over something like that.” Ahiru thought for a moment. “Can we at least have breakfast together?”

“Oh very well,” Rue sighed.

“Yay! I’ll bring mine into your room so you don’t have to move!”

As soon as Ahiru left, Rue checked under the blankets. Good the black feathers of the curse were just barely poking out of her wrists. If she was lucky, she’d be able to hide them while she ate.


	2. Chapter 2

Rue paced gently around her room. She would have to appear before the people of Goldcrown, it was her coronation after all. They could still think her sickly, but she must be their queen. She still wanted to help her people.

The black feathers poking out under her wrists began to itch. They would start growing again. What unfortunate timing, but if she wore long enough sleeves then…

“Rue?” said her sister’s voice through the door. “I’m going to go out into town, do you want anything?”

“Nothing. Thank you, Ahiru.”

“I’ll get some sweets so we can have tea later!”

Rue smiled to herself. That girl was always thinking of ways to sneak in time for them to be together. “That sounds nice. Be careful.”

“I’m off! QUACK! I’m okay!”

Ahiru must have tripped over something again. Rue glanced up at the portrait of her parents. They had known about her feathers. It was because of them that she was forced to hide them. The Raven King was supposed to be a legendary hero, but the feathers marked her as a monster. Why was that?

***

Ahiru ran through the market. The gates would be open soon! Because of Rue’s illness, they rarely let visitors in. But since Rue herself felt well enough, she was making an exception. It was so exciting! She’d actually get to meet new people after what seemed like years! Of course there was a high chance she’d say something silly in front of them, but it was the thought that counted, right?

“It’ll be just like the festival at the beginning of Coppelia or Giselle! Ah, what if I meet someone special? What am I talking about, that will never happen!”

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she failed to notice the white horse in front her.

“QUACK!”

“Are you… alright?” a voice asked.

Ahiru looked up. Grabbing her hand was a slender young man with hair as white as snow.

“I- um, I uh.”

He’s handsome.

“I am Siegfried, Prince of the Swan Isles.”

“Prince!” Ahiru squeaked.


	3. Chapter 3

Ahiru was so distracted by her encounter with the prince, she nearly forgot the chocolates. She all but flew through the castle gates and up the stairs to Rue’s room. “Rue!”

Rue smiled gently. “Oh my, you’re all out of breath, did something happen?”

“Sis, I met… an honest…. to goodness prince… while I was… in town! He was really quiet and I did most of the talking, and when I say talking I mean I was frantically yammering, but he was really sweet about it, you know?”

“Ahiru…”

“What I’m saying is, I think he likes me! He asked me to dance with him at your coronation tonight!”

“And you can tell all this…. from one encounter?”

“Well, yeah! Sort of? I mean, he wouldn’t smile like that for just anyone right? There must have been something!”

Rue looked at her sister. “Ahiru, you’re not an ugly duckling.”

“I know I’m not, but I’m not a swan like you, either. You’re so graceful and pretty. I can barely walk on a rug without tripping, and I know there’s pressure to marry one of us. It should be me, you know? Still, I’d like some choice.”

“Yet, you’d still pick the first one that smiled at you kindly.”

Ahiru looked hurt, but still smiled. “We can’t… stay together like this for much longer, can we?”

“I’m afraid not. There can only be one swan.”

“Rue, will you tell me the story of the Raven King again?”

“Of course, once upon a time, there was a young man who set out to write a story…”

****

Ahiru stood against the wall. So far the coronation was going well, but where was prince Siegfried?

“Evening, little duck.”

“QUA- oh! Sir Drosselmeyer! How, um, nice of you to drop by… we don’t have many goods for you, what with all that’s been going on.”

“How could I not come? Little Rue has grown so much. What a lovely queen she’ll be, that is of course, unless tragedy struck.”

“Tragedy?”

“Oh don’t mind me, little duck. I’m nothing but a simple merchant. Isn’t that prince Sigfired?”

“Where?” Ahiru asked as she glanced around.

When she looked again, Drosselmeyer was gone.

“I can’t let a tragedy happen!”

Oh no, was that man about to stab Rue with a sword?

“Rue!”

Ahiru tackled her sister to the ground, as they fell, she grabbed on to the sleeves of her dress, tearing one of them open.

“Ahiru, what are you doing?” Rue demanded.

“I.. I thought that ah, feathers?”

“What?” Rue said in soft horror. She looked at her arms and gasped. “No! I can’t stay here!”

“Rue, come back!” Ahiru called.

Rue stood before the palace window and opened it, the snow outside whipped around her and the wind howled. There was no use hiding it now. She released a pair of great black wings from her shoulders and flew into the storm. Ahiru’s cries still rung in her ears.

“Rue!”

Drosselmeyer smiled. “Oh my, oh my, the queen has flown away. Now what will happen to the kingdom?”


	4. Chapter 4

Rue clutched her shoulders and fought back the tears as she flew through the raging blizzard. The one person she wished never to see her true shape… and now… the look on her sister’s face would not leave her. The sad confusion, the way Ahiru reached out for her as she jumped out the window.

"Rue!" her voice echoed in her ears.

Rue shook her head. Forward, she had to think forward. For the first time in a long time, she looked at her wings in full span. They were actually quite lovely. The raven’s feathers looked almost soft to the touch.

The storm had calmed and she slowed her pace, hovering over a tiny village in the mountains. She wondered if she looked like a monster from above; a great black blotch against the white snow and navy sky.

When she looked down, the village was empty. Perhaps it had been abandoned? Maybe she could live here and start over. Just as Rue, not a princess or a queen. She landed, letting her wings stay out as she walked, exploring the village.

Rue smiled to herself. What exactly had she been afraid of all these years? She could fly! Just now, she had really flown through the sky, like she’d always wanted to do ever since she first discovered she had wings. She was free to use her wings however she wanted now.

And right now, she wanted to use them to dance.

She was a bird. Up here, in the sky, she was free. She would become the raven of legend.

She let the black feathers spread across her body and encase her coronation dress. One feather even sprouted from her head forcing, her hair to growing over it. Her long hair, if she wanted to fly freely, it had to go. With one swift movement of her now clawed fingers, she cut it at the neck. She watched as it fell delicately, mixing with the snow as it trailed to the ground.

She spread her wings out as far as she could and looked over the tiny village with pride.

I am the Raven Queen.


	5. Chapter 5

Ahiru knew what she had to do. It was her action that exposed Rue’s wings and made her run away, so it should be her actions that brought Rue back again.

"I’m going to go get Rue!" she declared as she headed out the door.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Drosselmeyer’s wide grin. “Oh, are you sure that’s a wise move little princess? You could get hurt, you know.”

"I’ll be okay! Siegfried, please watch over my kingdom for me."

The prince nodded.”Okay.”

"I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, okay?"

Still, the people of her court murmured their concerns as she ran out into the snow to fetch her horse.

"But princess!" called an attendant, "your jacket!"

***

"Maybe I should have put more thought into this before rushing off," Ahiru said as she sniffled loudly. She could have sworn she saw her horse roll her eyes at her. She peeked ahead. "Ooo! Look! I found a shop! You stay there, okay?"

A small bell ran as she entered, and a tall, middle-aged man greeted her with a smile.”Welcome to Charon’s Trading Post. How can I help you?”

"Um, can I get some winter clothes? And also you wouldn’t happen to know where I could find a guide, could you?"

"My son could probably help you. He should be out back," Charon said. "That’ll be forty for the outfit."

Ahiru snuggled into her new winter dress. This was much better! “Out back, out back… Man, this snow is so bad, I can hardly see.”

"Donkeys are better than people."

Was someone singing?

"Tom, don’t you think that’s true?"

Someone was singing in that shed.

"Um, excuse me?" she called as she pushed at the door.

The black-haired boy turned sharply at her entrance. He suddenly became flustered. “How much of that did you hear?”

"Umm, all of it? That was a nice song."

He turned away from her and muttered, “of course you did. What do you want?”

"I thought it was good."

"I’m a bard by nature, but pretty words can only get you so far; so I expanded into the ice market, and then this blizzard hit."

"That’s too bad. Maybe you could start selling hot drinks?"

The boy thought for a moment.”Hmmm, that might work.”

"Oh, does Mr. Donkey have a name?" Ahiru stroked the animal’s head. "Aww, you’re a sweetie aren’t you?"

"Bottom."

“Really?”

"It’s based off of a play where a man gets turned into a donkey."

"Bottom, though," she said. "It almost sounds like you’re insulting him."

"For the record, I was all of six when we first got him. I mostly call him Tom now, it makes things easier."

"Hi Tom! Nice to meet you! What’s your name, Mr. Bard?"

"Fakir."

"Nice to meet you, Fakir. Say, you didn’t happen to notice anything strange recently, like say, a girl with wings?"

Fakir looked shocked.”You’ve seen the muse, too?”

Ahiru paused.”Muse?”

"Yeah, something that unique and beautiful must be one of the muses."

"You have to take me to where you last saw the muse! Please guide me, Fakir!"

"Why should I?"

"That’s my big sister! I need to find her and bring her back to our kingdom! Besides, your dad said you’d take me."

"Darn it, dad! Don’t just give me random jobs! Wait, ‘our’ kingdom? Don’t tell me you’re a princess?"

"Ahiru. I’m the spare; Rue is the heir."

"Wait, wait, if Lady Rue is out there and you’re here, then who is tending to the kingdom?”

"Prince Siegfried of the Swan Isles," Ahiru said with a smile.

Fakir glared at her as he hitched Tom up to his sled.”And you left strangers in charge of your kingdom, why?”

"He’s not a stranger! We’re basically neighbors!"

"By like, what, 6,000 miles? Get on the sled."

Ahiru pouted as she jumped in. “It’s more like a few hundred, actually.”

Once she was in the sled took off like a shot. Fakir glanced at her.”Your sister didn’t cause the blizzard, did she?”

"She has wings, not ice powers!" Ahiru said as she waved her arms like a bird. "Though the intensity of the snow is odd for this time of year…"

"Stop talking."

"How come?"

"I think we’re being followed."

"By who?"

"Shut up and get on the donkey!"

"But what about you?"

"Don’t worry, I know how to use a sword. I’ll protect you and meet up with you later!"

"Fakir, wait!" she cried as he disappeared into the snow.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you okay, zura?" a little voice asked.

Ahiru rubbed her head. She felt a bump beginning to form in the back. The last thing she remembered was running from pursuers. Tom had jumped a cliff and… then what? Was Fakir okay?

"Ah, you’re awake!" the voice said.

Ahiru turned sharply. A little girl with green hair was watching over her. “Who are you?” Ahiru asked.

The girl smiled.”Uzura, zura! I’ve been playing with Mr. Donkey Lonkey. Isn’t that right?” The little girl pranced around Tom, seemingly unaware of how miffed he was at her pulling at his nose. Tom kicked her square in the head.

"Whee!" said the flying head. It landed on the snow.

"QUACK! Your head! It came off!" Ahiru screamed. She watched the small body chase after the head.

"Oopsie! There!" said the head as it reconnected with her body. She shook off the excess snow.

“What are you? I’m sorry if I sound rude, but… I mean… that’s…”

The girl smiled. “I’m a puppet, zura! Don’t worry! I’m made of wood, so I’m not hurt!”

Ahiru waved her arms in a panic. “A talking puppet? How does that even happen? If you’re a puppet, where are your strings? How are you talking?”

"Magic, zura!" said Uzura.

"Magic?" Ahiru repeated. She had heard rumors of the mountains holding great magic, but she’d never seen it for herself, until now, anyway. "Say, if you know about magic, have you heard of the Raven Queen?"

"Oh yes, zura! My momma knows all about it! Come this way!"

"You’re momma?" Ahiru asked as she took her hand.

"Everyone else calls her Edel, but she’s my momma. She made me all by herself. She wanted a family, just like people, zura. Come home with me! I’m sure momma will be happy to have you with us!"

"Oh, but Fakir…."

"Who?" Uzura asked.

"HOLD ON JUST A SECOND!" Fakir yelled as he came into the clearing. He snatched Ahiru’s other hand. "Stupid princess, I’m fighting my hardest while freezing my butt off, all for the sake of protecting your royal self, and when I do find you again, you’re walking off with strangers?”

"Fakir! You’re okay!" Ahiru said as she gave him a hug. "You’re not hurt, are you?"

"Pfft. Of course I’m not hurt. Those guys were nothing. But like I was saying," he said pointing to Uzura. "Who is that?"

"Oh no don’t worry! It’s okay, it’s okay! Uzura helped me. She says her mom can help us find my sister."

"And what if this is a trap?" Fakir said as he grabbed Tom’s reigns.

"Even if it is, you’ll still protect me, right?" Ahiru said with a smile.

Fakir sighed. “Fine.”

"Momma will be so happy! I finally found some lovey-dovey humans to show her!"

Ahiru pulled him ahead, seemingly oblivious. “Come on, Fakir! Let’s go to the puppet village!”

"WAIT, WHAT?" Fakir demanded.


	7. Chapter 7

Rue paced around her mountaintop castle restlessly. Her feathers were encasing more and more of her body. At first, it had just been the wings at her back and occasionally, her arms, but now, her whole body was slowing being consumed by them.

Am I going to become a monster?

She turned around and started her walk again. It would be fine. Ahiru was back at the castle. She was safe, her people were safe. So long as no soul came near her, everything would be fine.

Yes, but…

The halls of the castle she had built with her powers were massive. Even now, her hurried footsteps echoed, filling the silence with a frantic rhythm.

Solitude, she found, was not all it was cracked up to be.

Rue thought of her sister. All of her happiest memories of Ahiru, they were the only comfort that fought off the growing dread and loneliness building up inside her.

Rue wanted to call out to her with her magic; she was sure Ahiru would answer her.

And if she did? What then? How long could they live together peacefully? What if… what if Rue changed completely into the raven and then… and then…

She fought back the tears. Even imagining it was enough to make her cry. She stepped out onto her balcony. She wanted to have the cold air sooth her burning face. Her raven instincts took over. She saw Horses down below. Someone had found her castle. It looked like a small army and leading the charge, was the prince from the Swan Isles.

So much for solitude.


	8. Chapter 8

Uzura led them to a remote little village near the large and looming mountain. In the distance, Ahiru could hear a soft melody floating in the air.

"It’s Momma!" Uzura said as she quickened her pace. "Momma! I’m home, zura!" Uzura cried once they entered the gates.

They were met by a tall marionette with the same odd coloring as Uzura. She carried a small organ grinder. She stopped playing once she heard Uzura’s voice.”Oh, Uzura, you’re back. I missed you, my child. I was trying to call you back home.”

"Don’t worry, I heard it, zura!" Uzura said she jumped into her mother’s arms.

The older woman looked them over.”My, you brought friends with you.”

Uzura nodded. “A princess, a donkey, and a weirdo!”

Fakir scowled, but the woman smiled at them. “It’s not often we get human visitors.”

"Just what is this place?" Fakir asked, keeping Ahiru behind him as he spoke.

"It’s a place I founded," The woman said. "My name is Edel. And this is the town of Rekindling."

"Rekindling?" Ahiru asked, trying to peek out from Fakir’s back.

"Yes. It is not a place for lost things, but instead a place where things can be found," Edel said. "Most of us are asleep now; otherwise I would gladly give you a tour."

"Really? Because I’m looking for my sister! She flew away!" Ahiru said.

"Oh? She has the raven’s blood? Yes, we saw her fly by. Her magic was strong."

"You did?"

"We did. We have seen her since, slowly changing into a bird."

"Oh no! I don’t want her to be a bird!" Ahiru cried. "Unless she does. Then it’d be okay, I guess. But how would I explain it to our people? Argh!"

"There is a cure for it, didn’t you know?" Edel asked.

"There is?" Ahiru said, not bothering to hide her excitement.

"Yes. All curses have a counter. Only the price will be high. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Of course! She’s my dear sister! I’d do anything for her!" Ahiru said.

"Very well. She must know she is loved. The raven feeds on insecurities. If you delay too much longer, the transformation will complete and the sister you knew will be lost to you forever."

"Okay! How do I do that?"

Edel smiled. She lovingly stroked Uzura’s head.”Who’ to say? Love is intangible. Only you will know the best way to reach her.”

"Yeah! I’ll do it!" Ahiru said.

"Beware. The mountain is a treacherous trek. And someone has already found your sister’s hiding place." 

"Oh no! We have to go before someone huts Rue! Come on, Tom, geddy up!"

"We can’t just charge in there without a plan… and there she goes," Fakir said with a sigh. "Tom, stop enabling her! Thanks for the help," he said.

She turned to him and smiled, cradling her sleeping child. “May those who accept their fate find happiness; may those who defy it, glory. I wish you well on your journey, young humans.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahiru makes it to Rue.

Rue ran. Despite the mountain's height, the prince and his men had found her. Even now they were scaling it, trying to reach her. The thought made her heartbeat quicken. They had seen her feathers, they must have! They were surely coming to kill her! Wasn't there a tale like that about the original Raven King?

 _Don't worry, Rue! Everything will be alright!_ Her little sister's voice chimed in her head. In her mind, Ahiru was smiling, like she usually was. If she were here right now.... No! No! She didn't want that! Ahiru might accept these wings, but those men from the Swan Isles, they were _armed_.

Rue was struck cold. She was going to die here, wasn't she?

_Don't be scared!_

If the prince looked at her now, all he'd see was a monster, huge, ugly, and hulking. The weight of the black feathers were becoming hard and harder to bear.

"Rue!" Ahiru's voice called.

"It can't be, can it?" Rue whispered.

"Rue! Are you in there?" the voice was at her door. The firm familiar knock rung in her ears.

"Ahiru?" It was her, but how? "Don't come in here!"

"Sis! I know you're scared, but it'll be okay! I know how to help you now!"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I went to see some magical puppets! Or something! Anyway! This will work! We can rewrite the story!"

Rewrite it?

"Okay, you can come in."

Ahiru peeked through the door before she opened it. "Rue!" she said as she ran to her sister without hesitation. The embrace was warm and comforting. How she missed it.

"I still think your feathers are pretty, but they look so heavy now," Ahiru remarked as she looked at Rue.

"They are. It's getting hard to move. And the prince and his men are coming. I can hear them now."

"I saw. Don't worry! Once I explain, I'm sure everything will work out."

Rue could not stop herself from trembling, despite the firmness of Ahiru's hug. The door was being beaten down by force.

A large man with a crossbow was the first to enter. "She really is a monster," he murmured as he readied his bow.

Ahiru stood in front of Rue, arms outstretched. "You've got it wrong! My sister won't harm you!"

But the man, with his shaking, unsteady hands, had already shot an arrow. It pierced into Ahiru chest. She staggered back, as if she was becoming aware of the pain.

"Ahiru!" Rue sobbed as she caught her sister before she fell.

"I love you, Rue. I love you so, so much. I'll always be with you. Don't ever forget that, okay?"

Without warning, Ahiru disappeared into a pillar of light.


	10. ~Final~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then...

"Ahiru!" Rue screamed as she grasped for the image of Ahiru in the light.

When the last of the light vanished, Rue was left in the cold silence. Her black feathers fell around her mixing with the white snow. For the first time in her life, her arms and back felt light; unburdened by the extra weight. Rue hid her face in her hands as she sobbed.

"Rue," a gentle voice said.

Rue jumped back. "Prince Siegfried? No! Stay away!"

Siegfried leaned down to match her sitting position. He put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Rue. It was my intention to lift your curse, but it seems your sister beat me to it."

"Wait, what?" Rue asked.

"I... was going to confess my love to you," he said shyly.

"How noble of you," Rue said bitterly.

"Oh, maybe that didn't come out right. I mean, I always wanted to confess to you. I've loved you for a long time."

"Have you, really? Honestly?"

"Yes."

"Your love won't bring Ahiru back to me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Rue peeked out behind the prince. A new person and a donkey were trudging around. "Honestly, where did that reckless princess even go?"

"She's gone," Rue cried. "She sacrificed herself for me!"

"Figures." the boy said with a sigh. "Hey, I've done a lot of research on the Raven King. It was said that love could turn his black wings white."

Rue glared at him. "Idiot, can't you see all these feathers scattered around me?"

"Yes, I can. And my name is Fakir."

"But Rue, you have tiny white wings on your back now," Siegfried remarked.

"Huh?" she said. It was true, when she turned to look at her back a small, new pair of wings had emerged.

"It was said that the Raven King was able to call back his lost loved one with those wings," Fakir continued.

"Call... her back...?" Rue wiped her eyes on her arm. _That's right, this is my magic_. She focused her thoughts on one wish alone. _Come back to me, my dear little sister! Can you hear my calling you?_

 _"Rue!"_ Ahiru's voice called back.

"AHHHH!" Ahiru screamed as she fell from the sky. She landed gracelessly on Fakir's back.

"Huh?" Ahiru said as she looked around. "Where am I?"

"You're heavy. GET OFF!"

"QUACK!" Ahiru cried. "Sorry, Fakir!"

Rue embraced her sister. "It worked! It really worked!"

"Aw, Rue. I didn't mean to make you worried!" Ahiru said with a smile.

"Just what did you think would happen when you disappeared like that?" Rue demanded.

Ahiru laughed sheepishly. "I honestly had no idea! All I knew was I wanted to save my beloved sister!"

Rue held Ahiru tighter. "Let's go back home." Rue looked at Siegfried. "You're welcome to come along too, my prince."

He blushed deeply, but obediently followed behind her.

"Hey, Rue! Can I invite Fakir and Tom?" Ahiru asked as they walked.

"Oh? So that boy was your companion?" Rue said with a grin.

"Yes! He and Tom were super helpful!"

"I suppose so."

Ahiru glanced back at Fakir. "You'll come, right?"

Fakir sighed, but he smiled all the same as he led Tom behind him.

****

It was said the two sisters ruled the kingdom together in prosperity. Queen Rue slowly, but surely, made herself known to her people. With the support of her husband and sister, she never lacked for love or courage. Her small white wings were often marveled when she appeared in public.

Princess Ahiru remained as she always had been. Though, she _was_ a little lonely, after Rue's marriage, she simply filled her time by going into town. A certain bard was always glad for her company, even if he couldn't always say it to her face. Nobody in the town was surprised by their union a few years later.

When Rue and Siegfried's first child was born with black wings, they smiled gently.

The child's curse was easily broken.


End file.
